Bittersweet Deception
by DarkTropicalKing
Summary: "Oh!Oh! Remember the contract with the werewolf? The big strong oh-so-yummy nord?" "Babette!" "...She has a point." "Gabrielle! Stop encouraging her!" "Don't act shy! Besides, I wanted to applaud you on the way you handled that mission. Not even I could have conceived such a plan. It was positively…cruel."
1. Chapter 1

Jorric grunted as he heaved a pile of firewood into the inn. Sweat beaded slightly down his forehead, an effect of the roaring flame inside. Winter was beginning and already the weather outside looked ready to bury people in a cold death. Jorric frowned as he noticed all the people inside, all attempting to escape the cold outside with company and mind-numbing drinks. The scent of alcohol was strong in the air, acridly burning Jorric's nose and causing him to momentarily bare his teeth in an annoyed grimace. With a heave, he made his way to the inn counter where the innkeeper conversed with a hooded figure.

"-your room, best in the house. If you'd like, I can arrange for supper to be brought to you," the innkeeper, a balding man with a ruddy face, finished up hopefully.

"No, I don't think that will be necessary. But thank you," a feminine voice spoke softly. It was rich and haunting, with an accent Jorric couldn't quite place.

"You sure? I could always-" The innkeeper began, only to be silenced by a gloved hand placed upon his (Jorric internally noted its texture and culture, both being composed of an expensive material). His face turned an even deeper shade of red as he cleared his throat,"Ah, uh…right, please follow me.."

Time slowed down and froze as two things happened in that moment. Jorric caught a whiff of a strange scent that caused him to pause and his entire body to slacken. The hooded figure turned, and promptly crashed into the wood Jorric was carrying with a surprising amount of force, causing it to scatter all over the inn floor before he could react.

This snapped Jorric out of his reverie as he watched the mess unfold before him with loud and dull clanks. "Ya idiot!" He growled angrily, nostrils flaring and eyes widening as he turned towards the woman with a wrathful expression.

"Watch where yer…going…" His face slackened.

She was beautiful. No, divine. Dark hair fell down in waves around an elegant face with a refined nose and slender eyebrows that were currently scrunched up in a concerned expression. Her skin was a warm brown tone free from any blemishes that turned a golden hue in the firelight. Most important of all were her eyes, piercing silver orbs that appeared almost colourless in the light. Jorric felt deep serenity radiate from those eyes, a serenity that spoke of…belonging. With all this it took him a few moments to register she was talking. To him.

"-down."

"I, uh…what?" He couldn't form any words. The expression on her face softened and her glossy black lips curled up in an amused yet apologetic smile.

"My apologies…about your wood I mean."

Jorric looked at the ground around him, averting his eyes. His face turned a bright red and he mumbled something softly. She cocked her head in confusion.

"Forgive me, what?"

"Sorry…" He mumbled louder. He cleared his throat and clarified, "For yellin' at ya."

She smiled widely at him this time, exposing her white teeth, and tucked a strand of hair behind one ear.

"Such a gentleman…"

* * *

"What's this?" She sounded amused.

"Where's the fun in telling ya," Jorric replied, lightly rapping his nose with a finger. She half turned towards him with an eyebrow cocked. He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows playfully.

She rolled her moonlight eyes and huffed exaggeratedly, turning back to the small box before her with delicate fingers poised to open. In the moonlight her warm tone had turned an almost luminous midnight hue. She took a deep breath and began opening the wrapping slowly. "What is in this?"

"Not telling. Open it."

She huffed again and continued opening the box.

"Fine, but I swear if this is a tri-oh. Oh my…"

Jorric grinned softly and knelt before his love on one knee. He had heard that city folk tended to do that during this special occasion. He took the box from her frozen hands and placed a hand beneath her chin, tilted her head upwards to focus on his face. In this position he was looking up at her as he gently withdrew the ring from inside the box. Her lips were partially open and she looked to him with a slightly glazed stare, breathing softly.

"I love ya. I've loved ya from the moment I first saw yer face. These past few months have made me realise that there is no one else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with and no one else I'd give my heart to. It's ya or none." Here Jorric voice turned slightly pleading, "I know you have always worried about ya not being able to have children with me. But that doesn't matter, not to me! You are an extraordinarily beautiful woman, strong and amazing beyond words. It would make me the happiest man alive if ye would accept my token of affection and become my wife. I would give all this and heaven too if ye'd accept this beast's hand and heart forever."

Here he presented the ring to her, anticipating. It was a beautifully crafted thing. Made of two-parts gold and one part silver, it had elegant engraving carved out throughout its length; of water scenes and forest landscapes. In the pale light of Secunda it had turned to appear a beautiful silver. He had discarded the typical gem of choice (clear quartz) for amethyst, to signify a creature of the everlasting night and sacred moons.

Her lips trembled and she appeared to be speechless. Jorric grinned for a moment. She looked into his eyes and he saw tears of blood begin to flow from her reddened eyes. Her breath came out in ragged breaths and her fingers trembled violently. Worst of all was the look in her eyes, a look so broken and vulnerable he felt himself break in return.

"Hey there, is e-" Jorric attempted to reach for her hand to comfort her but she darted away, almost as though she had been burnt by the sun. She shook her head, fear written plainly on her face.

"No,…just…no." She wrapped her hands around her arms. Grass crunched beneath her feet as she backed away from him, looking all the world as though he was a hunter. Jorric brows knit in confusion as he stood up. He held out a hand and approached cautiously.

"Love, it's me. Jorric. Yer saf-" He began.

"NO!" She screamed, clutching her head in her hands and shooting him a look so violently afraid it froze him in his tracks. By the Divines, he had never seen her look so scared, so haunted, so…alone. Before he could react she turned and ran, vanishing in the blink of an eye and leaving him behind in the swaying plains.

Jorric frowned, his face twisted in concern. He was worried. And hurt. Whatever he had been expecting, it had not been this. He looked down at the ring in his palm, now seeming dull and lifeless. Looking at it brought a strong rage and desire to throw it as far as possible.

She had been frightened when she saw the ring…

Jorric shook his head to clear his mind. He could worry about why she had been frightened after he found her first. He knelt on the ground, this time with none of the romantic inclinations, and grabbed a fistful of earth, inhaling it deeply. The scent of her blood was strong in the ground. With a second sniff in the air, he confirmed where she had gone. He stood up and began heading West, towards Falkreath. The sun would rise up soon and this far out, he didn't want to think about what would happen to her when it did. With that thought he ran. He would find her, and he would protect her.

No matter what.

* * *

"Y-Ya hagraven!" Jorric screamed at his tormentor, helpless to do anything but watch as she supervised his torture.

He lay on the ground, his body broken, one ankle twisted in an unnatural position. His head was only held up by the delicate hands of his assailant at the roots of his hair, a matted stringy dirty-blond, caked with blood from head wounds either congealed or slowly bleeding with yellow pus oozing out from bald patches where the hair had been ripped out. leaving bald spots.

The interrogator gracefully balanced herself on the balls of her feet and cocked her head slightly as she brought herself to his level. A small amused smile played itself about her lips, though it did not reach the pale silver orbs that were her eyes. Jorric looked away. Even now, he could not bring himself to look her dead in the eyes with all his fury. Her smile grew wider.

"Jorric…" She whispered, her voice as ever like cool red silk over a warm body.

"Go away..Why can't ya just leave me alone?" He pointedly ignored looking at her, his shoulders slumped, tears running down his face. She held a slender finger beneath his chin and forced him to turn upwards towards her.

She cocked that obsidian-veiled head of hers, the dark tresses lustrous and flowing in elegant waves down her back and front, tucked behind her ears cutely. "Jorric…Please, just talk to me…Tell me where the girl is and I'll make this all end, I promise. I don't want to hurt you but I will if I must."

"Is that all ya care about ya hag!?" He roared, his fangs elongating slightly. He winced as the silver in his binds burned into him. That familiar smile remained on her face throughout all this. Calm. Serene. Vicious.

Why? He had given her everything! His heart -his life- but she tore through him as though he mattered not. She used him. Divines above he was such a fool. To have fallen for her lies so easily, to have been so readily manipulated. She had betrayed him. But what hurt even more was the fact that he had given her all of him and she had not only rejected it, she had torn him to pieces and burned him as he watched.

He had loved her. He loved her still. Divines above he was cursed, that had to be the only explanation why he still loved the beautiful daedra infront of him after all she had done. Maybe it was punishment for his quick acceptance of Hircine's gift.

Jorric looked to her through downcast eyes, "Wh…Wh-y?" His heart hurt, his heart was on the bverge of breaking, his body ached, and by the Gods did he want it to stop. He couldn't understand. Where had they gone wrong?

This time she smiled a gentle sad smile and gently placed a cool hand upon his cheek. "I was never yours to begin with. The woman you fell in love with never existed, Jorric…I don't and never did love you."

Jorric felt like he couldn't breathe and his heart had shattered into a million little pieces. His eyes widened, he felt himself slip upon the broken shards of his shattered heart and pierce himself all over again. He would have cried, had he not been doing so already.

* * *

"Is it done?"

"I have the location of our quarry."

"Excellent, Sister. What of our 'guest'?"

"I have taken care of him."

"Ysra…"

"Yes?"

"Good work."

"...Thank you."

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed this little story, though it actually ended up being longer than I expected heh. You know how it is, one minute you begin, the next you have written close to 2000 words. Anywho, if you'd be so kind as to leave a review or comment, it would be much appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

His prey flitted between the tree tops, a graceful shadow in the pale moonlight of Secunda. It was all he could do to keep up with her, but he managed, aided by his beast blood raging to be let loose. Behind him, he could hear the shouts of soldiers trailing in his wake and the baying of dogs. She would not escape him, not this time.

* * *

"What about her? She looks delicious…"

Jorric glanced in the direction Ysra pointed to. A slim young thing sat by herself, reading a book, looking rather lonely. He swirled the mead in his tankard thoughtfully. Glancing to his companion he noted the way the hearthlight reflected off her skin, deepening the shadows beneath her eyes and emphasising the height of her cheekbones. Her silver eyes caught his and she cocked her head to one side, messy black hair falling over one shoulder.

"She stinks of magic," he pointed out gruffly.

Ysra grinned, the tip of one fang peeking out.

"I know that. It'll make things more…interesting."

"Yer playing with fire love. Can't we just head home?"

She leaned over to kiss him on the cheek.

"And where's the fun in that?" she whispered seductively in his ear.

Jorric could think of a couple of things they could do. Still, he closed his eyes and forced a grin, "Aye."

Ysra laughed as he nuzzled her. Gently, she pushed him backwards, looking at him from beneath long eyelashes.

"Join me?"

"..."

She sighed, before standing up. Running an affectionate hand down his face, a gentle smile on her face, she turned and headed to the table where the other woman sat. Jorric watched as the other woman glanced upwards when Ysra approached, startled. He wondered if she was bretonic. She looked bretonic. He watched as his mate leaned sexily over the table and, gesturing towards the book the woman was holding, said something. Even at this distance he could see the mage's eyes light up and a small smile grace her lips. He couldn't help but grin internally as he took a swig of his mead. That was his princess, charming as always.

The redguard sat near the other black-haired woman, who looked flustered but pleased. They spoke for a while and he noticed the prey blush and laugh alongside Ysra. She appeared to be having a good time.

This went on for the rest of the night, the two women moving ever closer, giggling and glancing at him from time to time. He had the sneaking suspicion they were partly talking about him. This was only proved when Ysra sent him a look, before they both stood up. They were heading in his direction. They were coming to him. His princess had included him in the hunt.

Jorric glowered at her.

Ysra sent him a sweet smile, arm-in-arm with her prey.

* * *

She was trapped. He had covered all her escape routes, torch in one hand and a sword in the other. In the distance his enhanced hearing caught the howls of his company's dogs and the shouting of his men. They were close, but they would be some time coming. She hissed at him, eyes glowing a haunting blue in the shadows and fangs bared. She was hunched slightly, a hagraven beast about to attack. She eyed his sword warily.

"Give up! You have nowhere else to go," Jorric commanded calmly, his voice clear and deep with power.

At this she froze. He saw the trajectory of her eyes dart quickly to his face before focusing on the ground.

After a pause she smoothly stood slightly straighter.

"...you caught me. Congratulations."

Jorric was thrown off by the raspy tone of her voice. It sounded like her, the same sultry-sweet voice, but it didn't as well. Her voice was so…beaten. Broken. He narrowed his eyes and lifted his torch higher. As she came into view, Jorric's eyes widened.

 _Ysra,_ the wolf within him whined. She was so thin, abnormally so. The light nightgown she wore was terribly torn and so dirty he couldn't tell what colour it was, though from memory he knew it was supposed to be white. It practically hung off her bones, of which he could see painfully defined. As his eyes wandered to her face his heart jumped to his throat, constricting painfully. Her long black hair, which she had always taken great lengths to maintain in pride now was disheveled and unevenly cut in many places. He could even see some bald spots here and there. Her face was gaunt, painfully so, covered in soot and ash that only enhanced its skeletal-like appearance. Her eyes, that once shone with like the moons with stolen life, now avoided him at every turn, darting to and fro, dull and almost lifeless. Her body was hunched and defensive. She looked like a walking corpse back on the verge of death. He heard a pained whine, only to realise the sound had escaped from him. As she took a step backwards he realised he had taken an unconscious step forwards, his sword-arm partially stretched towards her.

"Ysra…what happened?" He whispered as he unthinkingly he placed his sword back into its scabbard.

Her eyes sharply turned towards him then.

"What happened!?" She spat out. "What happened!?"

Ysra's eyes flashed blue in anger. He took an instinctive step back as she stood taller, the illusion of weakness gone. Strong. Angry. _Dangerous_ , his wolf growled.

She turned hateful eyes towards him and hissed out, "You want to know what happened!? YOU happened! I should have killed you when I had the chance, you worthless pathetic son of a-"

Frustrated she muffled herself, choosing to glare imperiously at him. The wind rustled through the trees, but otherwise the world had gone silent.

Jorric frowned and hung the torch on a bare tree branch. Her eyes followed the motion, focused on the fire. "Ysra, what are you talking about?"

At this she started, her eyes darting back to him. She laughed, high and long.

"Oh! Oh! So you're playing innocent now!?" she growled at him, " Drop the foolish act. Oh, I underestimated you, I really underestimated you. It's not a mistake I will be doing again, I assure you."

"YSRA! Calm yerself!" She looked as though she had been physically slapped in the face, before her face morphed into a wrathful expression.

"How dare you!? After what you did!" She hissed, eyes narrowed to glowing slits. Crouched.

"Ysra! I-" Jorric cut himself short. He ran a hand through his hair. Counting ten backwards, he closed his eyes.

"Ysra…" He began again, in a softer tone. "I don't know what yer talking about. But I haven't DONE anything to ya. I haven't even been near ya. Yea made it pretty clear ya didn't want me." Here his voice turned bitter.

He thought she looked surprised. Her expression flitted from anger-wariness, to confusion, guilt, hunger, before settling back to anger-wariness.

"Lies!"

"Why do ya say THAT! AH DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"

"YOU KILLED MY FAMILY!" She shrieked.

"...what."

The anger was gone from her eyes, replaced by deep pain. Hurt. He had seen that look before. He had…

"Why? Did you do it because I hurt you? Because I chose..." She turned her head away from him, downcast, " How could you…"

Rubbing her arms she gave him a shaky grin and added softly, "I suppose it doesn't matter. What's done is done. Goodbye wolf. Next time I see you I will kill you and destroy all you hold dear, one death per my family."

Jorric took a moment to process what she said, before the words hit him. He frowned. His senses tingled with the scent of daedric magic (how had he not noticed that!?) and for a moment he saw a viciously triumphant look cross her face. Jorric cursed and made to move toward her. She was faster, as always. Her body glowed with an unearthly red light, transforming into a black substance that sucked in all the light before exploding into a swarm of bats.

There were shouts from his men as they broke into the clearing but they could not not do anything as they were attacked from all sides. With a rush all the bats escaped into the night.

* * *

 **Hey y'all, here's a new chapter. As always, reviews and/or comments are appreciated :)!**


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